Limb restraint for intravenous injections and the like



Nov. 25, 1969' M. J. GARBER 3,480,013

L-IMB RESTRAINT FOR INTRAVENOUS INJECTIONS AND THE LIKE Filed May 24, 1967 INVENTOR v} MAX J. GARBER ATTORNEYS United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A restraint for securing a limb for medical treatment consists of an elongated section concavely contoured to the general configuration of the limb and the attitude in which it is to be disposed and having upstanding sidewalls. Grooves are formed in the sidewalls at the proper point of application of a tourniquet to the limb. The restraint is joined to an elongated base having a flat upper surface and an axially concave under-surface by means of male and female projections on the restraint and the base. The base has an aperture for receiving straps for securing it to a fixed member or it may be fixed to an elongated sandbag by means of tape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to a surgical device for restraining the limb of a patent in a predetermined position for a substantial length of time so that a needle for an intravenous feeding, drawing blood or the like may be inserted into a vein in the limb and retained in an undisturbed manner during the desired process.

When intravenous injections are made it is necessary for the patients limb to be supported in what is often an awkward position for a prolonged period of time. The problem is protracted when the patient is a young child because of the small size of the target vein and the difficulty of maintaining the relatively heavy needle in position to avoid any undesirable movement which might harm the surrounding limb area or push the needle out of the vein. Because of the size of a childs veins and the childs disposition to movement it is particularly important that the limb be immobilized in such a position that the vein is brought into prominence.

Description of the prior art The prior art has provided a variety of devices for achieving this restraint ranging from padded boards to metal braces intended to be strapped to the limb. These devices have been designed with a high degree of versatility so as to be adaptable to limbs of a wide range of sizes. In achieving this versatility these devices have sacrificed their ability to exactly position a limb, and have not achieved any appreciable degree of commercial success.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates a restraint which is formed into a concave shape, specially contoured to receive a limb of fairly specific size, and to retain that limb in a suitable position for the insertion of an intravenous needle. This restraining form may be molded of a plastic material and has the general shape of the limb along its entire length, with the exception of the provision of a relief groove for the reception of a tourniquet at an appropriate point along its length. Since this mold section restrains the limb in a particular position, its use obviates the possibility of the tourniquet being improperly positioned, since the tourniquet location is determined when the mold is formed. It also allows the tourniquet to be easily removed without disturbing the needle in the vein. The underside of the restraint is releas- 3,480,013 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 "ice ably secured to a concave base section adapted to receive the convexly curved surface of an elongated sandbag which is disposed parallel to the limb. The sandbag acts as a flexible base for retaining the restraint in a fixed position with respect to a supporting surface which will be relatively comfortable to the patient. Its weight also minimizes the movement of the entire restraint. The restraint may be alternatively secured to a bedpost or other fixed member by means of strap receptacles formed thereon.

In a preferred embodiment, which will subsequently be disclosed in detail, the limb is supported within the molded concavity on one side of the restraint, and the sandbag is supported in a concavity on the base of the restraint, by adhesive tape or straps. The sides of the base are also formed with apertures which allow the mold to be fixed with respect to the sides of a bed, or other stationary section, rather than to the sandbag.

Devices formed in accordance with the present invention must be provided in a relatively large variety of sizes to restrain all limbs, but for use with children, the primary intended application of the devices, a few restraint forms will accommodate a wide range of limb sizes. The formation of the restraint in a particular molded configuration allows a limb to be retained in the optimum position for the insertion and retention of the intravenous needle. The discomfort of this unnatural position is obviated by the universal positioning nature of the sandbag base. The use of adhesive tape allows the adjustment of tension to an individually proper level.

It is therefore seen that a primary object of the present invention is to provide a limb restraint having support section molded to the contour of a limb disposed in the optimum position for the insertion and retention of an intravenous needle.

A further object is to provide such a restraint having means for positioning a tourniquet so as to insure the proper position of the tourniquet with respect to the limb and the elimination of discomfort because of restraint pressure in the tourniquet area and for ease of removal of the tourniquet without disturbing the needle or limb.

A still further object is to provide such a restraint which employs an elongated sandbag operative to be disposed in a concavity in the restraint as a base as well as means for strapping the restraint to the limb and to the base.

Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention adapted to restrain the forearm and hand of a patient, with the limb being shown in phantom;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of a second embodiment of the invention adapted to restrain a foot;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of FIGURE 3, taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken through line 55 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view through a third embodiment of the invention adapted to support an arm for insertion of an intravenous needle at the inner side of the elbow.

Referring to the drawings, the restraint illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 constitutes a first embodiment of the invention adapted to support a patients hand and forearm, generally indicated at 10, in proper position for the insertion of an intravenous needle 12, into the back of the hand. In order to give maximum exposure to the veins in the back of the hand it is desirable that the wrist be maintained in general alignment with the forearm and that the fingers project generally downwardly from the hand. This position is achieved by a restraint member 14 preferably formed of a sheet plastic material. The restraint is generally elongated and has a contoured concavity 16 on its upper surface which is molded so as to exactly conform to the contiguous forearm and hand position when the limb is positioned to provide maximum exposure of the veins in the back of the hand. The concave limb supporting surface 16 is preferably prepared by molding it about an arm and a hand supported in the desired position. While the size and shape of the limb with which it is actually used Will differ somewhat from the prototype used in manufacture, I have found that a given restraint may be employed with limbs which vary over a fairly wide range from the size and shape of the original prototype, with excellent results.

The concave surface 16 is interrupted by a recessed groove 18 which extends transversally across the restrain section. The recess 18 allows a tourniquet to be wrapped about the wrist for the purpose of distending the veins in the hand for easier insertion of the intravenous needle 12. The recessed groove 18 allows the forearm and wrist section to be supported in intimate contact with the mold while being wrapped with the tourniquet and obviates the possibility of the tourniquet interferring with normal blood flow after its removal following the insertion of the intravenous needle.

The groove 18 for the tourniquet is positioned with respect to the concave supporting surface 16 in the exact position at which the tourniquet should ideally be applied. Thus, the use of the restraints formed in accordance with the present invention obviate the possibility of misapplication of the tourniquet.

The side of the restraint 14 opposite to that with the concavity 16 is formed with a pair of male projections 20 disposed toward the forward end, and 21 disposed toward the rear. The projections 20 and 21 mate with complementary recesses 22 and 23, formed in a plastic base member 24. The base member is elongated and has a planar upper surface and a concave lower surface which is symmetrical about the elongated axis of the base. The base 24 has a channel 25 formed through it for the attachment of straps. The concave recess in the lower end of the base 24 is adapted to receive a side surface of an elongated cloth or plastic bag 26 filled with sand. The sand does not tightly fill the bag but is sufficiently loose to allow the contour of the bag to conform generally to contacting surfaces.

The bag 26 is attached to the base 24, and the restraint to the limb, with adhesive tape 27 which is wrapped transversally about the bag and over the limb.

Depending upon the activity and disposition of patient the entire restraint and base might be fixed with respect to some heavy structure, such as a bedpost, by means of straps or adhesive tape attached through the channel 25, or the weight of the sandbag may be depended upon to maintain the unit in a relatively fixed position.

The capability of the sandbag to conform to the surface is which it is supported allows the restraint to be adjusted to a position which will provide maximum comfort to the patient during the prolonged intravenous feeding period while maintaining the limb in a suitable position for reception of the needle 12.

While the position of the forearm and hand for reception of the intravenous injection is a relatively normal one, restaints formed in accordance with the present invention are well adapted to restrain the limbs in less natural positions when required. The second of the embodiments of the invention, illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, is identical to the first except that the restraint is molded to support a foot, generally indicated at 36, for application of an intravenous needle into the veins at the top of the foot. To properly present the veins for needle application the limb must be retained with the foot and toes pointed downwardly, as an extension of the lower leg section, in a quite unnatural position. It must be also turned slightly inward. This position is extremely difficult to obtain employing boards or other restraints which are not specially molded to the foot section. The restraint 38 employed for the foot has a pronounced recess 40 at the heel to allow itto be comfortably retained. It has a transverse groove 42 at the point at which a tourniquet is to be applied. Otherwise, it is identical to the first embodiment of the restraint.

Still another embodiment of the restraint is disclosed in FIGURE 6. This restraint is adapted to support an arm 44-, at the elbow, so that the inner arm is exposed for the insertion of an intravenous needle. The arm must be supported with the elbow in an open position so that the form forms an extension of the upper arm. The restraint 46 is formed by molding about an actual arm supported in this position and provides a contour that is adapted to firmly encircle the lower part of the arm.

It is readily seen that other molds might be provided for supporting sections of limbs in various other positions and that particular advantages of these devices conform to the foregoing objects of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the type described for use with human limbs, comprising:

an elongated restraint having one of its elongated sides concavely contoured in such a configuration as to be able to receive a section of a limb said restraint having a transversely extending groove recessed within the concavely contoured surface for the reception of a tourniquet so that the tourniquet may be applied to a predetermined postion on the limp and easily removed without disturbing the limb;

an elongated closed bag filled with sand;

a surface on said elongated restraint, opposite to the concavely contoured surface, adapted to be disposed in contact with an elongated surface of said bag so that said bag is disposed generally parallel to the limb on the side of the restraint opposite thereto; and

means for securing both limb and the sandbag to the restraint, whereby the limb is fixedly supported with respect to the restraint in a predetermined postion and a predetermined attitude determined by the concave contouring of the restraint.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for securing the bag and the limb to the restraint includes connector members which have their ends formed within the restraint on the sides thereof between the concavely contoured surface and the surface adapted to be disposed in contact with the bag, and strap means adapted to surround the limb and the bag and to engage the connector members.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the bag filled with sand is suffifficiently loose so that its surface opposite to that which contacts the restraint will adapt the configuration of a supporting surface.

4. A device of the type described for use with a human limb, comprising: an elongated restraint having one of its elongated sides concavely contoured in such a configuration as to be able to receive and support a section of said limb in a predetermined position and a predetermined attitude determined by the concave contouring of the restraint, said one elongated side having a transversely extending groove recessed therein for the reception of a tourniquet so that the tourniquet may be applied to a predetermined postion on the limb and easily removed without disturbing the limb; means for supporting said restraint; and means for securing said limb to said restraint.

5. An elongated restraint as described in claim 4 wherein said supporting means comprises an elongated base with a planar upper surface and a plurality of connector members extending from a surface on said elongated restraint opposite to the concavely contoured surface, said members being carried by said upper surface of said base.

6. An elongated restraint as described in claim 5 including a channel formed therethrough; and, strap means extending through said channel for the purpose of securing said base and said restraint to a fixed member.

7. An elongated restraint as described in claim 5 in cluding second recessed grooves formed in said base planar upper surface, said recessed grooves receiving said connector members.

8. An elongated restraint as described in claim 5 wherein said elongated base includes a concavely contoured lower surface which is symmetrical about the elongated axis of the base; and means forming a flexible member carried by said lower surface, said flexible memher being adapted to conform to the configuration of a supporting surface on which said material is positioned.

9. An elongated restraint as described in claim 8 wherein said flexible member is an elongated closed bag filled with sand, said bag being disposed in a generally parallel relationship to said limb.

10. An elongated restraint as described in claim 9 wherein means for securing said limb to said restraint comprises a strap surrounding said limb and said bag thereby securing the limb to the restraint, the restraint to the base and the bag to the base.

11. A device of the type described for use with a human limb, comprising: an elongated restraint having one of its elongated sides concavely contoured in such a configuration as to be able to receive and support a section of said limb in a predetermined position and a predetermined attitude determined by the concave contouring of the restraint, and, having side walls extending upward from said one surface, each of said side walls having a groove extending therethrough for the reception of a tourniquet so that the tourniquet may be applied to a predetermined position on the limb; means for supporting said restraint; and means for securing said limb to said restraint.

12. A device of the type described for use with a human limb, comprising: an elongated restraint having one of its elongated sides concavely contoured in such a configuration as to be able to receive and support a section of said limb in a predetermined position and a predetermined attitude determined by the concave contouring of the restraint, said one elongated side having a recess formed therein for the reception of a tourniquet so that the tourniquet may be applied to a predetermined position on the limb; an elongated base having an upper surface adapted to contact a surface on said elongated restraint opposite to said concavely contoured surface and having wall means extending downwardly from a surface on said base opposite said upper surface for supporting said restraint; means for securing said limb to said restraint; and means for said restraint to said base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,763,264 9/1956 McInnerny 128--133 3,256,880 6/1966 Caypinar 128-88 3,270,742 9/1966 Costa 128-89 3,295,518 1/1967 Hazlewood et al. 128-133 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

